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I'm looking for a backpack to use during commuting. It should be big enough to fit laptop, (small) lunchbox, a towel and a set of clothes (jeans, tshirt and sweater + shoes).what backpacks would you suggest, and what kind of storage space should I be looking for?

60 km one way is a long old commute to do with a back pack. I did 60 km round trip for a year or so, gave up on the back pack after about 3 days and got a large saddle bag and left more kit than planned at work. Also drove in one day a week (or popped in over the weekend if i was passing) to swap clothes/shoes/etc.Only thing that came with me daily was food, shirt and underwear.

I have an Osprey Momentum ~30L--treats me very well for roughly 50km/day. Shoulder padding is quite good, given I have some hardware in my clavicle and it doesn't bug me at all. 30L is far more than you need on a regular basis, but it has a zipper that reduces the bulk by 10 liters under most normal use, which gives you a nice boost in space when you're coming home from the grocery store. I keep a messenger bag at work (well, university campus for me), as the back of it gets pretty sweaty and the hyper yellow color not so fetching off the bike. Has a built-in rain fly, which is very nice when you need it.

I find the built-in laptop location uncomfortable, but neoprene sleeve + main compartment does well. It'd be fine if I sat more upright.

Agree that a 60km each way commute might be a bit much with a backpack. I'd be looking at some nice-ish panniers.

I'll counter and say 60k is not all that with a backpack, depending on pack and weight carried. I very frequently go 30k in, 70k out on my 'commute.' Plus, maybe, @benzebub might want to use his nice bike on the commute, you know, the one that has no business with rack/panniers...

I have been very happy with the Lagunitas Boreas: 25L, vented as heck. Better than the Osprey Syncro (15L) I had before, IMHO. Another cool one I considered is the ION Transom.

YMMV

JC

Last edited by jcrr on Wed May 18, 2016 2:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Lots of options, but your answer will really depend on your personal preferences -- ventilation, adjustment style, waist belt options, what you consider safe for a notebook computer, and so on.

I found the Eberlestock Cherry Bomb 25 -- built as a concealed carry bag for small automatic weapons but holds a 15 inch Macbook pro, great fit for use on the bike, superb construction, and so on. Not light, but very durable.

Here are a few to check:

www.goruck.com (burly but one of the most durable)www.mysteryranch.com (check the smaller everyday-carry packs)www.redoxx.com (brutes but amazing construction, etc.Evoc (look at the models with back protection; they work well for what you're describing)Salomon (lightweight and great suspension on the bike)Tom Bihn (one of the best for the computer)Ortlieb Flight (waterproof and stay cool on your back)Vertx (several models, superbly made, reasonable prices, frequently on sale)Bedouin Foundry (bar none the most gorgeous bags out there)Defy BagsHazard 4 (reasonably priced, innovative designs)

jcrr wrote:I'll counter and say 60k is not all that with a backpack, depending on pack and weight carried. I very frequently go 30k in, 70k out on my 'commute.' Plus, maybe, @benzebub might want to use his nice bike on the commute, you know, the one that has no business with rack/panniers...

I have been very happy with the Lagunitas Boreas: 25L, vented as heck. Better than Osprey, IMHO. Another cool one I considered is the ION Transom.

YMMV

JC

that's fair, I will still commute with my nice bike in to work on occasion, in which case I will be using my pack. The osprey is nice, ive done long commutes with it on, but its VERY small. If I wanted to put clothes in it to change into at work it feels bloaty and overly tight.

My suggestion to the OP is to figure out WHAT you will be carrying before you buy a nice pack. loading a bag to the brim isn't as desirable as buying one that has a little extra capacity and isn't totally full, that way it can still follow the contours of your body instead of being bloaty full.

I have 2 Vaude backpacks with the air back. A small one if I only need to move a few bits, and a larger one that will take a 15" laptop in a sleeve case. Though, personally, I have stopped carrying a laptop around day to day, and now mostly commute with only a large seatpack for my daily clothes. I used to carry a 15" macbook pro every day, but it started to give me discomfort in the lower back, so I stopped.

Frankie - B wrote:The Ortlieb Velocity is a great waterproof backpack that holds everything you mentioned. But for 60km, I'm inclined to give this one to the pannier crowd.

Recently got the Ortlieb "LIGHT-PACK PRO 25" and it's great, but +1 on rack-mounted bag (not necessarily but preferably panniers) for 60km. But depends on the weight as others have said. Small laptop and some clothes should be bearable, if you have moral objections to using a rack.

(This is coming from a guy who has done multi-day bike trips with a big heavy backpack. But i was young back then and all i had was a road bike + backpack.)